Who Wants to be Tailgated?

[Dips]

I swear this guy wanted me to tailgate him this morning. He was working so hard at it.

He was going well under the speed limit so I slowed up as I approached him and left a decent following distance.

He tapped his brakes a couple of times and slowed down by a couple of miles an hour. I slowed down and maintained the distance again.

Repeat two more times.

So I finally realized he probably gets off frustrating people behind him or just likes to be tailgated because outrage gets him off or something.

No worries. There was nobody behind me so I just increased the distance between us a LOT. To 100 yards or so. I was just curious to see what he'd do at that point.

The result was just hilarious. He kept trying to get me to catch up so he could pretend I was tailgating. He'd slow down. I'd slow down so as not to close the distance between our cars. Then he'd speed up and try slowing down again. Same result.

Eventually he stopped at a light and I sloooowy drifted to a stop about 10 feet behind him him. I was laughing.

When the light changed he accelerated very slowly as I expected. Nobody was behind me so I took my time accelerating as well and ended up 100 yards behind him again.

Next he signalled he was turning right. Again he was so obviously hoping to delay me or otherwise get me to act impatiently, I guess so he could grouse to himself about impatient people. I took my foot off the gas so that he'd have to complete his turn well before I ever caught up with him. He tried to drag that right turn out as long as possible, but it didn't work.

I think I made him pretty mad by...driving extra politely.

[dougall]

Could he have been trying to get you to crash into him in order to claim for whiplash or similar on your insurance?

[Nonstop_Death]

You're awesome, Dips.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Man, some people really have issues.

I've had people do the thing where they tailgate me, then go to whip around me and squeeze in front of me as close as they can so that they think I'll have to slam on brakes. And since stupid people always seem to think that everyone else is just like them, they're expecting me to speed up to try to cut them off. Except I don't do that. I slow way down so they blow around me way faster than they planned and then I end up way behind them. And I've seen them try to get me to tailgate for a brief time before giving up when it becomes really obvious I'm not going to play. But this guy you describe sounds like a real head case.

[ohsobitter]

That was my first thought too. He wanted you to hit him.

[surreal20]

Yea, he seems like he wanted you to hit him so he could get money or something. Good call! I bet you really DID piss him off, bc now he can't sue you :P

[Dips]

No. He didn't want me to hit him. Those people will move fast and then slam on their brakes. Especially when stopping at the yellow light and starting up again.

He was either some grumpy old fuck who probably enjoys complaining so much that he manufactures things to complain about.

Or some grumpy old fuck who gets off from being in people's way and slowing them down.

Either way I wasn't going to give him what he wanted.

[LillFilly]

I think I was behind that guy too for a good 5-miles! He was going 30 in a 40 and signalling to turn then not doing it. Oh, looked like he was driving with the parking brake on too!

[Dips]

I know what you mean! Even if they're not doing it on purpose I keep a nice distance from people who drive like that. Most of them don't notice or care, though.

[EricKei]

I think I made him pretty mad by...driving extra politely.

*gasp* Dips! I am ashamed at you! How could you do something so...so............... hilariously awesome?